Raleigh Convention Center gets a new name
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Raleigh's convention center is getting a new name.
Earlier this month, The Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex announced that Atlantic Union Bank has signed on as the new naming rights sponsor for the downtown venue.
The new name, the Atlantic Union Bank Convention Center, was unveiled during a ceremony on Thursday.
"We're excited to welcome Atlantic Union Bank to Raleigh and are incredibly proud to partner with them on the naming of the convention center," Raleigh City Manager Marchell Adams-David said in a statement. "Raleigh is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and this partnership reinforces just how vibrant, welcoming, and dynamic our community is."
Since opening in 2008, the convention center has welcomed more than 6 million guests and generated more than $1 billion in economic impact for Raleigh, according to city officials. The venue was also recognized with the International Association of Venue Managers' Venue Excellence Award in 2025.
The announcement comes as the convention center undergoes a major expansion project. Officials said the 298,100-square-foot addition will include new flex spaces, ballrooms and meeting rooms, increasing the facility's total footprint to nearly 800,000 square feet.
The expansion is part of a broader downtown redevelopment effort that also includes a new 600-room Omni Hotel, a relocated Red Hat Amphitheater and improvements to the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.
"This partnership is a powerful reflection of our commitment to the communities we serve," said Maria Tedesco, president and chief operating officer of Atlantic Union Bank. "By aligning our name with such an important gathering place, we're deepening our relationship with Raleigh in a meaningful way."
Kerry Painter, executive director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, said the partnership comes at a pivotal time for the venue as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
"Our convention center is entering this bold new era of expansion and improvement, and we're so pleased to have Atlantic Union Bank as a partner on this journey," Painter said. "This is a strategically smart move for our venue and our partner at Atlantic Union Bank as we both recognize this big future for Raleigh."
